India adds 1,761 Covid cases, lowest single-day rise in nearly two years
New Delhi(PTI): India on Sunday recorded 1,761 fresh coronavirus infections, the lowest in around 688 days, that took its tally to 4,30,07,841, while the active cases declined further to 26,240, according to Union health ministry data.
The death toll climbed to 5,16,479 with 127 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.74 per cent, it showed.
A reduction of 1,562 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours. The daily positivity rate and the weekly positivity rate stood at 0.41 per cent, the ministry said.
The last 24 hours saw a total of 4,31,973 COVID-19 tests being conducted. India has so far conducted over 78.26 crore tests, it said.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,24,65,122. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.20 per cent, it added.
The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive have exceeded 181.21 crore.
India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4, 2021, and three crore on June 23.
The 127 new fatalities include 118 from Kerala.
Of the total 5,16,479 deaths reported so far in the country, 1,43,766 were from Maharashtra, 67,315 from Kerala, 40,035 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,146 from Delhi, 23,492 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,194 from West Bengal.
The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.
"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.
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Karnataka Guv to halve convoy size following PM Modi's austerity call
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday reduced the size of his official convoy to the minimum required strength following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's austerity call.
In a post on 'X', the Lok Bhavan said Gehlot had taken the step in response to the Prime Minister's appeal for fuel conservation and reduction in foreign exchange expenditure amid the West Asia crisis.
"Hon'ble Governor of Karnataka Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot has reduced his convoy to the minimum required strength, following Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji's appeal," the post said.
The move comes days after Modi, while addressing a rally organised by the BJP in Hyderabad, called for several measures aimed at conserving foreign exchange and reducing dependence on imports amid tensions in West Asia.
The Prime Minister had urged citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption, use metro rail services in cities, adopt carpooling, increase the use of electric vehicles and utilise railway services for parcel transportation. He had also suggested working from home wherever possible to conserve fuel and foreign exchange.
Modi further appealed to people to postpone the purchase of gold and foreign travel for one year, reduce edible oil consumption, lower dependence on chemical fertilisers and promote natural farming and swadeshi products to strengthen self-reliance and conserve foreign exchange.
